Provincial Dialogue on Industrial Relations and Labour Laws - Baluchistan
All Pakistan Labour Federation (APLF) during a worker's seminar arranged in Quetta with the technical support of ILO's EU funded Project on Sustaining GSP Plus in Pakistan highlighted the importance of increased trade unionism, collective bargaining and occupational safety and health for promoting decent work and thus industrial peace in the perspective of GSP Plus and international competitiveness of the country.
20 August 2017
QUETTA (ILO News): On 18th August 2017, 64 members of the All Pakistan Labour Federation gathered in Baluchistan for an Awareness Raising Seminar on ‘Promoting Trade Unionism, Social Dialogue, Collective Bargaining and Occupational Health and Safety for industrial peace’. The seminar was organised by the EU funded Project ‘Sustaining Pakistan’s GSP Plus status’ implemented by ILO.
Mr Sultan Achakzai-President of APLF in his welcome address stated that spreading the importance of increased trade unionism, collective bargaining and occupational safety and health for promoting decent work and thus industrial peace is important in the perspective of GSP Plus and international competitiveness of the country. He welcomed the ILO’s support in creating awareness about the ILO’s conventions 87, 98 and 155 i.e. freedom of association, right to collective bargaining and occupational health and safety respectively.
“Better compliance of core labour standards, particularly the core of the core conventions on freedom of association and collective bargaining can help Pakistan sustain the GSP plus benefits and also increase its competitiveness in labour friendly countries”. This was stated by Abid Niaz Khan-National Project Coordinator of the EU funded project on Sustaining Pakistan’s GSP Plus status, during his opening remarks. .
Participants at the seminar raised various issues related to the enforcement of labour laws in Pakistan. Engineer Abdul Qayyum Kakar-President Mine Owner Association Balochistan opposed the contractor system in mining industry contending that contractors were an opportunistic and unnecessary middle man. He also proposed setting up of a public warehouse under the workers welfare fund for the storage of safety equipment and tools that mine workers could buy on easy instalments. Mr Pir Muhammad Kakar- General secretary of Quetta Electric Supply Corporation, called for the removal of the gender wage gap in Pakistan and the reservation of seats for women in trade unions and collective bargaining agencies, so that women can present and advocate their own issues which are often forgotten of men. Mr Kakar also delivered a presentation on the procedure of social dialogue and collective bargaining as defined in provincial and federal industrial relations laws.
Mr Saeed Sarpara-Commissioner of Balochistan Social Security Institution explained the social security procedures and emphasized the need for extending social security benefits to the mine workers in Balochistan. Mr Shuja ul Mulk Gitchki, Director General of Labour Welfare, Balochistan thanked the ILO for providing support to the government of Balochistan for provincializing the labour laws. He also pointed out the need to initiate social dialogue to address the industrial relations at ship breaking, dock yards and the fisheries sector within the unfolding landscape of CPEC and the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative.
The event was characterised by six parallel technical sessions on various issues concerning the labour market and industrial relations in Balochistan. The points discussed included trans-provincial issues emanating from Industrial Relations Act of 2012, Coal Mine Working Conditions & OHS, decreasing trade unionism and collective bargaining in Pakistan, strengthening OSH and labour laws compliance for workers safety and sustaining GSP Plus.
Mr Shuja ul Mulk Gitchki, Director General of Labour Welfare in Balochistan in his concluding address promised that the suggestions tabled by the workers would be catered to in the ongoing labour legislation and policy formulation. He also pledged that the provincial government of Baluchistan will bring about necessary institutional and administrative reforms, so that the laws and policies could be effectively enforced on the ground.
Mr Sultan Achakzai-President of APLF in his welcome address stated that spreading the importance of increased trade unionism, collective bargaining and occupational safety and health for promoting decent work and thus industrial peace is important in the perspective of GSP Plus and international competitiveness of the country. He welcomed the ILO’s support in creating awareness about the ILO’s conventions 87, 98 and 155 i.e. freedom of association, right to collective bargaining and occupational health and safety respectively.
“Better compliance of core labour standards, particularly the core of the core conventions on freedom of association and collective bargaining can help Pakistan sustain the GSP plus benefits and also increase its competitiveness in labour friendly countries”. This was stated by Abid Niaz Khan-National Project Coordinator of the EU funded project on Sustaining Pakistan’s GSP Plus status, during his opening remarks. .
Participants at the seminar raised various issues related to the enforcement of labour laws in Pakistan. Engineer Abdul Qayyum Kakar-President Mine Owner Association Balochistan opposed the contractor system in mining industry contending that contractors were an opportunistic and unnecessary middle man. He also proposed setting up of a public warehouse under the workers welfare fund for the storage of safety equipment and tools that mine workers could buy on easy instalments. Mr Pir Muhammad Kakar- General secretary of Quetta Electric Supply Corporation, called for the removal of the gender wage gap in Pakistan and the reservation of seats for women in trade unions and collective bargaining agencies, so that women can present and advocate their own issues which are often forgotten of men. Mr Kakar also delivered a presentation on the procedure of social dialogue and collective bargaining as defined in provincial and federal industrial relations laws.
Mr Saeed Sarpara-Commissioner of Balochistan Social Security Institution explained the social security procedures and emphasized the need for extending social security benefits to the mine workers in Balochistan. Mr Shuja ul Mulk Gitchki, Director General of Labour Welfare, Balochistan thanked the ILO for providing support to the government of Balochistan for provincializing the labour laws. He also pointed out the need to initiate social dialogue to address the industrial relations at ship breaking, dock yards and the fisheries sector within the unfolding landscape of CPEC and the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative.
The event was characterised by six parallel technical sessions on various issues concerning the labour market and industrial relations in Balochistan. The points discussed included trans-provincial issues emanating from Industrial Relations Act of 2012, Coal Mine Working Conditions & OHS, decreasing trade unionism and collective bargaining in Pakistan, strengthening OSH and labour laws compliance for workers safety and sustaining GSP Plus.
Mr Shuja ul Mulk Gitchki, Director General of Labour Welfare in Balochistan in his concluding address promised that the suggestions tabled by the workers would be catered to in the ongoing labour legislation and policy formulation. He also pledged that the provincial government of Baluchistan will bring about necessary institutional and administrative reforms, so that the laws and policies could be effectively enforced on the ground.